Massage exerciser



Nov. 10, 1925. 1,560,549

W; DUNCAN MASSAGE EXERCISER Filed Sept. 19, 1921 2 Sheets-Shut 1 Nov. 10, 192 5. I 1560,54-9

Filed Sept. 1 1921 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 10, 1925. l

I UNITED STATES WILLIAM DUNCAN, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

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Application filed September 19, 1921. Serial No. 501,582.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, VVILIJAM DUNCAN. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Massage Exercisers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to exercisers and is particularly directed to massage exercisers which include some form of massage element adapted to massage the body of the user.

An object of the invention is to provide a massage exerciser having a massage element intermittently contacting the body of the user at spaced intervals to stimulate the blood circulation to the surface between such points of contact.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a massage exerciser creating a massaging efl'ect laterally of the skin.

Another object is to provide a massage exerciser in which the massaging effect stimulates the lateral puckering, pinching and stretching of the skin by manual skin manipulation as practiced by a masseur.

Another object is to provide a massage exerciser having a massage element combined with tension means holding said element in contact with the body of the user and to provide resistance to the manipulative effort incident to its use.

A further object resides in features of construction and arrangement facilitating a convenient use of the exerciser upon all parts and portions of the body.

Various other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings which form a part of this disclosure, and

which illustrate a preferred form of em-- bodiment of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the device in one of its uses.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Fi re 4 is an enlarged axial section of one end of the roller element.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of device des1gned for use particularly as a scalp massage exerciser.

Figure 6 is a transverse section on line 6-6 of Figure 5.,

Figure 7 is an elevation showing the position of use of the device shown in Figures 5 and 6. I

Figure 8 is a plan View of a simpleform of massage exerciser particularly adapted for facial use.

Figure 9 is a transverse section on line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figures 10, .11, and 12 are diagrammatic views illustrating the massaging effect of the massage roller upon the skin of the user.

Fig. 13 is a plan View of a modified form of the device shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 14 is a section on the line 1414; of Fig. 13.

In the device illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, 1 designates a massage roller having longitudinal grooves equally spaced around its periphery providing mtermediate ridges, and 2 designates end plates protecting the ends of the roller and giving it a finished appearance.

The roller is journaled to freely rotate upon an axial pivot rod 3 and journaled on each end of the rod adjacent the roller I pzovide handles 4 by which the roller may manipulated. A plate 5 also loose on the rod 3 is positioned immediately adjacent the outer end of each handle 4 and each handle and plate is retained against axial displacement by two nuts 6 and an intermediate lock washer 7 the nuts being screw threaded upon the ends of the rod.

. Flexible cables 8 are connected respectively to the opposite plates 5 and converge to their point of connection with the free end of a tension spring 9, the opposite end of the spring being provided with means, such as the slip knot 10, for. attaching the spring to the knob of a door or any other convenient and suitable stationary support. The cables 8 have knots 11 or other like means affording a more secure hand hold for the user and for preventin the users hands from slipping on the cab es.

Supplemental cables 12 are attached to the respective plates 5 and aflord means by which the roller may be manipulated upon the lower limbs without stoop' g and u on other parts of the body ofierm undue ifficulties to a convenient manipu ation of the device by the preferred method of operation.

' the roller upon the body desired In one method of using the device the user stands between the roller and the opposed cables, as shown in Figure 1, a sulfieient distance from the door or other stationary support, to tension the spring to. a degree depending upon the )ressure of by the user. The user may then manipulate the exerciser by grasping the handles 4 and propelling the roller up and down over the body or by grasping the cables, as shown in Figure 1, he may by a quick up and down movement of the hands flip the roller up and down over the body. In massaging the lower limbs and other parts of the body the user may, by grasping the free ends of the supplemental cables 12 effect a convenient manipulation of the exerciser, the cables 12 in such instances serving more or less as extensions of the arms of the user.

The form of device shown in Figures 5 to 7 is particularly adapted for seal massaging and consists of two parallel ro lers 15 grooved in the same manner as the previously'described roller 1, and journaled to freely rotate u on a journal member 16 carried by a ban le member 17. The journal member 16 is preferably formed of a relatively stiff rod extending through one of the rollers 15 and bent upwardly at opposite ends of said roller and extended through transverse apertures in the handle member, the free ends of the rod then being bent downwardly and laterally so as to extend into opposite ends of the other roller. The handle member 17 extends laterally and is formed to provide opposite hand holds 18 which in the manipulation of the device are grasped by the operator and the device propelled over the head as indicated in Figure 7.

In Figures 8 and 9 I have illustrated a device especially adapted for facial use and consisting of a single grooved roller 20 freely rotatable upon a handle member 21.

The grooves in the several rollers illustrated are preferably formed so that the longitudinal edges of the intermediate ridges are somewhat sharp as distinguished from a well rounded edge, so that in propelling the roller over the body said roller will be rotated to brine the ridges successively into contact with the body at spaced intervals causing a stimulationof the blood circulation between such points of contact. This action distinguishes from the action of a plain roller which only presses upon the y and drives the blood away from the entire area coming into contact with the roller. p

The heretofore various types of vibrating massage devices all function transversely of the skin, being in the nature of a pounding of the skin by sharp rapid strokes. Such ounding action in no manner simulates the ateral puckering, pinching and stretching action incident to the hand manipulation of the skin by a masseur which manipulation is recognized as being far superior to the pounding action of any heretofore known mechanical massage device.

In the present invention the grooved roller functions to successively pucker, pinch and stretch the skin in much the same manner as in the hand manipulation above referred to. This action by the grooved roller is illus: trated in diagram in Figures 1O, 11 and 12, in which the arrows a indicate the direction in which the roller is being propelled. In Figure 10 the ridge 1) formed on the cylindrical face of the roller, engaging the relatively yielding skin crowds theskin for-' ward to pueke'r the skin in front of the edge 0 of the ridge. As the roller turns the edge cl of the next ridge 6 moves along an are 7 about the axis defined by the edge a causing a crowding of the skin toward the concave face of the groove, and between the two ridges, as illustrated in Figure 11. As the ridge 0 releases the skin the ridge 0 in the puckering of the skin in front of it, stretches the skinwhich has just been puckered andpinched between the ridges 0 and e as illustrated in Figure 12.

This produces a lateral puckerin pinching and stretching of the skin in a manner in simulation of the hand manipulation of a masseur and increases the circulation of the blood to the surface.

The device illustrated in Figures 13 and 11 comprises a spring 9" having means such as the strap 10. for attaching the spring to the knob of a door or to any other convenient or suitable structure. Straps 8 connect with the spring and with the opposite ends of a handle member 18 carrying four relatively spaced grooved rollers 15 journaled on companion journal members 16 carried byithe handle member. This form of device combines the advantages of the device illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 and the device illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.

I claim:

1. In amassage exerciser, a freely rotatable longitudinally grooved massage roller constructed to engage theside of ones bod y or limb and project at each side beyond the same, a. tension member having means for attachment to a support, flexible cablesconnected to the opposite ends of the roller so as to pass on opposite sides of said body or limb and connected with the tension member, whereby the .user of the device may move the roller to and fro while the tension member operates to press the same against the body or limb being massaged.

2. In a massage exerciser, a journal memher, a longitudinally grooved massage roller rotatably mounted on the journal member, and constructed to engage the side of ones body or limb and project at each side be- 130 yond the same, a tension member having means for attachment to a support, flexible cables connected at opposite ends of the roller to the journal member so as to pass on opposite sides of said body or limb and connected with the tension member, whereby the user of the device may move the roller to and fro while the tension member operates to press the same against the body or limb being massaged.

3. In a massage exerciser. a journal memher, a longitudinally grooved massage roller rotatably mounted on the journal member, and constructed to engage the side of ones body or limb and project at each side beyond the same, a tension member having means for attachment to a support, flexible cables connected at opposite. ends of the roller to the journal member so as to pass yond the ends of the roller constructed to be grasped by the user of the device to move the roller to and fro while the tension member operates to press the same against the bod or limb being massaged.

Signed at Los Angeles, California, this 12th day of September 1921.

' WVILLIAM DUNCAN. 

